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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFactors that increase the risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma include:
- Your age. Hodgkin's lymphoma is most often diagnosed in people between the ages of 15 and 35, as well as those older than 55.
- A family history of lymphoma. Anyone with a brother or a sister who has Hodgkin's lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has an increased risk of developing Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Your sex. Males are slightly more likely to develop Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Past Epstein-Barr infection. People who have had illnesses caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, such as infectious mononucleosis, are more likely to develop Hodgkin's lymphoma than are people who haven't had Epstein-Barr infections.
- A weakened immune system. Having a compromised immune system, such as from HIV/AIDS or from having an organ transplant requiring medications to suppress the immune response, increases the risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
References
- Diehl V, et al. Hodgkin lymphoma: Clinical manifestations, staging and therapy. In: Hoffman R, et al. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06715-0..X5001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-443-06715-0&uniqId=230100505-56. Accessed May 23, 2011.
- Hodgkin lymphoma. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp. Accessed May 23, 2011.
- What you need to know about Hodgkin lymphoma. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/hodgkin/AllPages. Accessed May 23, 2011.
- Integrative medicine & complementary and alternative therapies as part of blood cancer care. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. http://www.lls.org/resourcecenter/freeeducationmaterials/treatment/integrativemedandcam. Accessed May 23, 2011.
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